Differential actuating mechanism



March 29, 1966 D. FAZIO DIFFERENTIAL AGTUATING MECHANISM INVENTORA M/V/ Z 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 27, 1964 March 29, 1966 D, FAZIO 3,243,107

DIFFERENTIAL ACTUATING MECHANISM Filed July 2'7, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 "WV rY s im W n i` 4f] if L;

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DIFFERENTIAL ACTUATING MECHANISM Filed July 27, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR WMM/IKW AZ/ United States Patent 3,243,107 DIFFERENTIAL ACTUATING MECHANISM Dominick Fazio, San Gabriel, Calif., assignor to Clary Corporation, San Gabriel, Calif., a corporation of California Filed July 27, 1964. Sei'. No. 385,226 5 Claims. (Cl. 23S-60) This invention relates to differentially actuated calculating machines, adding machines, read-out machines or the like and has particular reference to machines having differential actuators of the oscillatible rack or sector type wherein the actuators are yieldably advanced to different digit representing positions under control of settable amount keys or other stop elements.

Generally, in machines of the above type the settable keys or other stop elements have heretofore been returned from set condition during the latter part of a machine cycle. In many cases this required an additional time in the cycle, thereby restricting the overall speed of the machine as well as requiring an additional .train of drive elements to return the keys or stop elements.

Therefore, it becomes a principal object of the present invention to provide a machine of theabove type in which no time in a cycle need be allocated to returning settable stop elements from set positions.

Another object is to provide a machine of the above type in which the settable stop elements are returned from set positions during the advance movement of the drive means for the actuators.

Another object of the invention is to simplify the mechanism required to restore the stop elements.

Another object of the invention is to increase the cyclic speed of a machine of the above type.

A further object of the invention is to provide a stop element restorer which is easy, quick and economical t assemble.V

The manner in which the above and other objects of the invention are accomplished will be readily understood on reference to the following specification when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG.' 1. is a longitudinal sectional view through a remote controlled adding or readout machine embodying a preferred form of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional plan view illustrating part of the pin carriage and is taken substantially along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary side view of a part of the adding machine, illustrating one of the stop pin restorers in pin restoring position.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged side view of part of the mechanism illustrated in FIG. 1. FIG. 5 is a sectional side view of the actuator drive mechanism and is taken along the line 5-5 of FIG. 2.

Although the invention is disclosed as associated with a remotely controlled readout machine having printing and accumulating features, it should be understood that the same could be equally well associated with other types of machines of this general class.

The machine of the present disclosure is basically similar Yto the well-known and commercially available Addmaster adding-listing machine. The latter is generally disclosed and claimed in the patents to R. E. Busch, No. 3,113,719, issued on December 10, 1963, and to H. L. Clary et al, No. 3,132,582, issued on May l2, 1964. Reference may therefore be had to such patents for an understanding of details of the machine not specifically described herein.

With reference to the drawings, digits `of a value are entered through a bank of solenoids 11, each one of which is in radial alignment with a respective settable stop pin or element 12. The solenoids are arranged in vertical columns of ten solenoids in each column and 3,243,107 Patented Mar. 29, 1966 lee there are a number of columns equal to the number of denominational orders of the machine. The solenoids are mounted on a stationary arcuate frame plate 40 suitably secured to the framework of the machine. Momentary closing of an electric circuit (not shown), as by depression of a remote amount key, will activate a corresponding solenoid, thereby forcing its armature 14 to set an appropriate stop pin 12 in a pin support, generally indicated at 13.

The pin support 13 is formed of an arcuate body 321 which is rigidly secured at its lower end on a stationary rod 331 which extends across the machine and is suitably supported by frame plates (not shown) forming part of the machine framework. The pin support is rigidly secured at its upper end to a frame member 36. The stop pins 12 extend radially of a shaft 31 and are slideable endwise in slots formed in the body 321. The shaft 31 is rotatably mounted in bearings formed in side frame plates 32 and 33 (FIG. 2) forming part of the machine framework.

The stop pins 12 are located in horizontal rows aligned with and adjacent the lower ends of the solenoid armatures 14. Thus, when a certain solenoid is activated, the respective armature 14 will be moved endwise toward the shaft 31 to likewise move an aligned stop pin from its normal ineffective position shown in FIG. l to a position indicated at 12a (FIG. 4) wherein it forms an abutment in the path of a shoulder 4 formed on an aligned printing sector or actuator 15. The stop pins are bifurcated as shown in FIG. 2 and frictionally engage the sides of the respective openings in the body 321 so as to normally remain in set or restored position.

The sectors 15 are independently pivoted on the shaft 31 and cooperate with a printing mechanism,`generally indicated at 16, to print amounts registered by the sectors onto a paper strip 17. For this purpose, each sector carries a series of type characters 18 on its periphery, ranging in value from 0 to 9, the character 0 being located at the clockwisemost location relative to the rest of the series.

The paper strip 17 is fed from a supply roll 631, between gripping feed rolls 65 and 641 and through a guideway 66, past a printing station located between the sectors 15 and respective hammers 67. From such station, the strip is passed upwardly kbehind a transparent tear-off bar 167.

The hammers are suitably guided in a frame 68 for endwise movement radially of the sectors 15, toward and away from contact with the paper strip 17. Leaf spring elements 7l) urge the hammers downwardly but are normally restrained by a rotatable cam 71 which operates through a follower bail 72 pivoted at 73 to normally hold the spring elements and hammers in their upper illustrated positions.

The cam 71 is suitably entrained through gearing (FIG. 5) with a cyclically operable main drive shaft 21 so that during the printing phase which occurs after the sect-ors' 15 llave been yieldably driven clockwise until arrested by set ones of the pins 12, or by different accumulator elements during totaling `and subtota-ling operations, the cam 71 permits the springs 7l) to impel the hammers 67 downwardly, thus 'causing an imprint of selected type characters 18 onto the strip 17 through a suitable printing ribbon 79. After the printing phase, the sect-ors 15 will be returned cou-nterclockwise to their initial positions shown in FIG. l as will be described in detail later.

The sectors 15 are also effective to differenti-ally actuate an accumulator, generally .indicated at 20. The latter is of the crawl carry type -and in general comprises denominationally arranged gears and other elements rotatably mounted on an accumulator shaft 74. Normally, the accumulator is held in a lower position, as shown in FIG. 1, wherein the accumulator gears 75 are located out of mesh with gear sections 175 formed on respective ones of the sectors 15.

During a digitizing phase of a machine cycle, the accumulator is held in raised position to mesh the gears 75 with the sectors so as to transfer digital amounts from the sectors 15 into the accumulator. Likewise, during totaling and subtotaling operations, the accumulator is held in raised position to mesh with the sectors for the purpose of transferring amounts from the accumulat-or to the sectors as disclosed in the aforementioned Busch patent, so that :such amounts may be printed.

In accordance with the present invention a-nd embodying a preferred form are stop pin restorers 120, one of which is mounted juxtaposed to each of the sectors 15. The restorer 120 is shown enlarged in FIG. 4 and can be :seen to be slideably and rotatably mounted relative to the shaft 31 through 4a slot 100 which slideably embraces a hub 119 on the `associated sector 15. The restorer is also slideably connected to the associated printing sector by a pin 8, shown engaged in a slot 121, which extends through an extension 22 on the restorer. Thus, the restorer is constrained to rotate with its associated sector but may move radially relative to such sector.

A shoulder 23 on the restorer is `aligned with the shoulder 4 and both are arranged to engage any set one of the stop pins in t-he aligned column as can be best seen in FIG. 1.. Also fo-rmed in the restorer is an arcuate slot 25 which is defined on one side by the extension 22 and the other by a yieldable or spring t-ail 2S. This slot is of suicient width to receive 4a bail rod 54 upon flexing of tail 28.

The bail rod 54 yieldably advances the printing sectors 15 clockwise from their home positions illustrated `in FIG. 1. The rod is mounted at its opposite ends on gear sectors 53 and 55 (FIGS. 2 and 5) attached to opposite ends of the shaft 31. Sector 55 Imeshes with a second gear sector 56, pivoted on a shaft 114 `and carrying a cam follower roller 58 which engages a cam groove 60 formed in the side of a cam 61 which is suitably attached to the cyclically operable drive shaft 21. The latter is driven one complete rotation during each cycle of the machine through a remotelyrcontrolled cyclic clutch, generally indicated at 40 (FIG. 2).

The bail rod 54 extends through arcuate openings 62 formed in the sides of the vario-us printing sectors 15 and is normally engaged by detenting shoulders 69 formed on yield-able tails 64 extending integrally from the sides `of the sectors into their openings I`62. The` shoulders 69 are normally in line with the shoulders 1316. Also, the rod 54 normally rests against the arcuate inside surface `of the tails 64.

It wi-ll be noted that when a sector is in its home position, the bail rod 54 lies closely adjacent an edge 63 of its opening `62. Also, in such position, a pin 213 on each sector lies closely ladjacent a stationary comb plate 212 extending across the machine.

Each tail 64 lies at least substantially coextensive with the side of its sector 15, as will be seen in FIG. 2, `and extend-s mainly in an arcuate curve which converges towardfthe shaft 31. In order to obtain sufiicient resiliency adjacent the shoulder 69, the tail is extended counterclockwise beyond the edge 63 by forming arcuate slits 111 Iin the side of the sector.

Thus, as the bail rod 54 is moved in a clockwise direction, it will drive each of the sectors 15 through the `shoulders 69 until each sector is arrested by a set stop pin 12 or by an associated accumulator element (in totaling and subtotaling operations) at which time the rod will defle-ct the detent shoulder and wil-1 `move along the outer portion of the` tail 64, causing it to yield outwardly. The resultant frictional engagement of the bail rod with the tail will tend to prevent the sector from rebounding f-rom an arrested position and will also prevent the sectors from being moved counterclockwise before return of the bail rod due to any possible unwanted vibra-tions or other forcesdeveloped-duringoperation of' the machine.

After the printing phase of the cycle, the bail rod 54 will be returned counterclockwise by the cam 61 and the frictional engagement between the tails and the bail rod will normally be suficient to drive the sectors counterclockwise toward their home positions where the pins 213 will engage the comb plate 212. Thereafter, the bail rod will slide along the tails 64 until it comes to rest behind the detent shoulders 69.

However, if unwanted binding or friction-al forces should Iprevent the bail rod from first frctionally driving a sector toward its home position, the rod will slide along the tail 64 until it strikes the edge `63, at which time it will become effective to positively return the sector.

As mentioned, the stop pin restorers 126 .are slideably connected to the printing sectors, so consequently they, too, will advance along with each sector as the bail rod 54 is -driven clockwise. During movement of the rod 54 and `as a sector 15 engages a set stop pin 12, the bail rod will immediately cam against Ian inclined shoulder 136 on the restorer 120. This action causes the restorer to be cammed radially outwardly, thereby -causing a bottom shoulder 174 thereon to force the set stop pin outwardly to its normal restored position as depicted in FIG. 3.

The restorer will still be held by such pin, however, -as the bail rod continues its clockwise movement and will accordingly hold the sector in the corresponding digital printing position until the printing operation occurs. As soon as the printing operation has been completed, the bail rod is then caused to be rocked counterclockwise, frictionally engaging the yieldable tail 28y on the pin restorer. When the bail rod is returned to its normal position shown in FIGS. l and 4, where it passes over the shoulder 136, the tail 28 will become effective to withdraw the pin restorer radially inwardly to its initial illustrated position.

Although the invention has been described in detail and certain specific terms and langauges have been used, it is to be understood tha-t the present disclosure is illustrative rather than restrictive and that changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention yas set forth in the claims appended hereto. For example, the shoulders 4 of the sectors 15 could be omitted, in which case the shoulders 73 of the restorers 20 would become effective to initially limit against set ones of the pins 12. Also, the tails 64 could be omitted from thesectors, in which case the bail rod 54 would yieldably drive the sectors by its engagement with the inclined shoulders 136 of the restorers. Y

Having thus described the invention, what is desired to be secured by United States Letters Patent is:

1. In a machine of the class described having an actuator device differentially advanceable from an initial position and a'plurality of stop elements,

each of said stop elements being settable to differentially arrest said actuator device;

said actuator device having a shoulder engageable with a set one of said stop elements whereby to arrest said actuator device,

means comprising a drive member for yieldably advancing said actuating device,

said actuating device including a stop element restorer,

said restorer being movable toward said last mentioned `stop element by said drive member upon arrestment of said actuating device whereby to restore said last mentioned stop element lfrom set condition during continued movement of said drive member, and a stop shoulder on said restorer engageable with said last mentioned stop element upo'n movement of said restorer toward said last mentionedv stop element whereby to prevent advancement of said actuator during said continued movement of said drive member.

2.' In a machine of the class described having an actuator differentially advanceable from and returnable to an initial position and a plurality of stop elements,

each of said stop elements being settable to differentially v arrestsaid actuator; Y

a stop element restorer operatively connected to said actuator,

said actuator having a shoulder engageable with a set one of said stop elements 'whereby to arrest said actuator,

means comprising a drive member for advancing and returning said actuator from and to said initial position,

spring means normally yieldably maintaining said restorer in driving engagement with said drive means for guiding said restorer radially outwardly relative to said axis,

means comprising a drive member for advancing said restorer and said actuator about said axis,

said restorer having a camming shoulder thereon,

yieldable means carried by said restorer for yieldably maintaining said camming shoulder in engagement with said drive member whereby to enable said drive member to advance said actuator,

said yieldable means yielding upon arrestment of said member, lo actuator by a set one of said stop elements whereby said restorer being movable toward a set one of said to enable said drive elements to cam said restorer Stop elements by Said drive member upon arrestment outwardly to rest-ore said set stop element during of said actuator whereby to'restore said set stop ele- .continued movement of said drive member, and a ment during Continued mOVeIlieIli Of Said dIiV memstop shoulder 0n said restorer engageable with said ber, and a stop shoulder on said restorer engageable with said last mentioned stop element upon movement of said restorer toward said last mentioned stop element whereby to prevent advancement of said actuator during said continued movement of said drive member, said spring means returning said restorer from engagement with said last mentioned stop element during said return movement of said drive member.

last mentioned stop element during said continued movement of said drive member. 5. In a machine of the class described having an actuator differentially oscillatible about an axis to and from an initial position and a plurality of stop elements spaced about said axis,

each of said stop elements being settable toward said axis to differentially arrest said actuator; a stop element restorer,

3- in a machine 0f the Class described haViIlg all actu' 25 means operatively connecting said restorer to said actuator differentially advanceable from and returnable to an ator to move iu unison about said axis initial Position and a plurality 0f stOP Clements, means for guiding said restorer outwardly relative to each of said stop elements being settable to diierentially said axis,

arrest Said actuator; means comprising a drive member for advancing said a stop element restorer operatively connected to said restorer aud Said ,actuator about Said axis,

actuator, a camming shoulder on said restorer engageable with said restorer being engageable with a set one of said Said drive member whereby to enable said drive Stop elements lf/hereby to arrest Said actuator memer to advance said actuator about said axis, Sald restorer .hiwmg a .cammmg shoulder and yieldable means carried by said restorer for yieldmeans cmpnimg a drive member for advancmg and ably maintaining said camming shoulder in engage- .retummg sind actuator ment with said drive member, yleldable means for normally mamtammg Sad cimml-ng said yieldable means yielding upon arrestment of said shoulder in cooperative engagement with said drive t t b t f .d t l t h b member whereby to normally enable said drive memac a or y El Se me o Sal s Op e emen? W er@ y ber to advance Said actuator to enable said drive member to. cam said restorer 5 l said restorer being movable toward said set stop elerad1 a1ly outwardly to restore said Set SOP element ment by said drive member upon engagement of said during Coiltliued D lQVemeIli 0f Sald dllVe member shoulder with said set stop element whereby to restore ffolll Said lnltlal POSlilQI-l, U t said set stop element during continued nigvement of said yieldable means being effective to return said reand drive member, and a stop shoulder on said restorer inwardly toward said initial position upon storer engageable with said last mentioned stop elereturn of said drive member t-oward said axis. ment during said continued movement of said drive member, said yieldable means being effective to move References Cited by the Examiner said restorer away from said last mentioned stop element during said return of said drive member. UNITED STATES PATENTS 4. In a machine of the class described having an actu- 2 904 248 9/1959 Geuing 235 60 ator diilerentially advanceable about an axis from an 3101896 8/1963 Scozzafaa- "235 136 initial position and a plurality of stop elements spaced about said axis, FOREIGN PATENTS each of said stop elements being settable toward said 550,249 12/1957 Canada axis to differentially arrest said actuator; a stop element restorer rotatable about said axis, means operatively connecting said restorer to said actuator for movement about said axis,

LEO SMILOW, Primary Examiner.

STEPHEN I. TOMSKY, Examiner. 

1. IN A MACHINE OF THE CLASS DESCRIBED HAVING AN ACTUATOR DEVICE DIFFERENTIALLY ADVANCEABLE FROM AN INITIAL POSITION AND A PLURALITY OF STOP ELEMENTS, EACH OF SAID STOP ELEMENTS BEING STABLE TO DIFFERENTIALLY ARREST SAID ACTUATOR DEVICE; SAID ACTUATOR DEVICE HAVING A SHOULDER ENGAGEABLE WITH A SET ONE OF SAID STOP ELEMENTS WHEREBY TO ARREST SAID ACTUATOR DEVICE, MEANS COMPRISING A DRIVE MEMBER FOR YIELDABLY ADVANCING SAID ACTUATING DEVICE, SAID ACTUATING DEVICE INCLUDING A STOP ELEMENT RESTORER, SAID RESTORER BEING MOVABLE TOWARD SAID LAST MENTIONED STOP ELEMENT BY SAID DRIVE MEMBER UPON ARRESTMENT OF SAID ACTUATING DEVICE WHEREBY TO RESTORE SAID LAST MENTIONED STOP ELEMENT FROM SET CONDITION DURING CONTINUED MOVEMENT OF SAID DRIVE MEMBER, AND A STOP SHOULDER ON SAID RESTORER ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID LAST MENTIONED STOP ELEMENT UPON MOVEMENT OF SAID RESTORER TOWARD SAID LAST MENTIONED STOP ELEMENT WHEREBY TO PREVENT ADVANCEMENT OF SAID ACTUATOR DURING SAID CONTINUED MOVEMENT OF SAID DRIVE MEMBER. 